Irish TV axes its top comedy show

Irish television’s biggest comedy show, The Panel, has been axed by broadcaster RTE.

The topical discussion programme has been a major showcase for Irish stand-ups including Andrew Maxwell, Ed Byrne and Karl Spain.

However, the show has been suffering falling ratings – with the latest series averaging just 182,000 viewers – prompting the decision to cancel it, even though it remained popular among younger viewers.

The show launched in 2003 on RTE2, with Dara O Brian as host. He stood down in 2006, after which Colin Murphy and Neil Delamare alternated between hosting and sitting on the panel.

In 2008, the show transferred to the RTE1, where it sat uneasily among the more mainstream progammes.

One insider told the Irish Evening Herald: ‘Many of the comedians who took part in it are fuming as they reckon that moving it from RTE2 to RTE1 didn\'t do it any favours and it just didn\'t work on the other station. It has struggled to establish a face of the show since Dara left.’

RTE bosses – who are struggling to make €68million of budget cuts – are said to be seeking a new topical comedy format to fill The Panel’s 10.10pm Thursday slot.

Published: 14 Jun 2009